Indonesian Spice Info ( and Galanga)

Title:
Indonesian Spice Info ( and Galanga)

Yield:
1 Servings

Categories:
!
info,
Oriental
/,
Indonesian




Ingredients:





          ***  NON   NE *****






 Indonesian cooking is richly spiced with ginger, turmeric, galangal (see


 below), lemon grass, aromatic leaves and herbs, but above all with chilies.


 In addition to the spicing used in the preparation of a dish, Indonesians


 make a range of relishes, based on chilies, called sambals. These are


 served in small dishes on the table. Some are fiercely hot because the


 chili seeds have been left in: all are highly aromatic. The Indonesians use


 a chili called lombok, similar to tabasco, when making sambals but other


 small red chilies can be substituted.


 


 Galanga is a relative of ginger. There are 2 main kinds: lesser and


 greater. Both are used in Indonesian cooking, where the former is known as


 kencur and the latter as laos. Greater galanga is used in Thailand (khaa)


 and Malaysia (lengkuas). The lesser has a more pungent odor than the


 greater, with hints of eucalyptus, with a taste like cardamom and ginger


 mixed. The greater galanga tastes more peppery-gingery, with lemon-sour


 overtones. Galangal is used throughout Malaysia and Indonesia in curries


 and stews. The greater galangal is an essential ingredient in Thai curry


 pastes and much preferred there to ginger.


 


 Source: Jill Norman "The Complete Book of Spices" Viking Studio Books, 1991


 ISBN 0-670-83437-8 The book is lavishly illustrated with full color


 photographs of the herbs and spices- whole, mixed, ground.


 


 Recipe by: Jill Norman * Web File 4/97 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #631


 by "Mary Spyridakis" 
on Jun 2, 97